FUR FACTS 251 



to remain in this drum from two to three hours. They are then 

 placed in another drum without sawdust in order that they may be 

 freed of sawdust. After remaining in this drum for an hour or two, 

 they are cleaned and are now ready for fleshing. In the case of 

 small skins, the skins are fleshed by being passed over a circular 

 rapidly revolving knife. This requires considerable skill on the 

 part of the operator. Just the superfluous meat and skin is shaved 

 off, leaving the pelt intact that holds the roots of the hair. After they 

 are properly fleshed, they are sent to the drying room, which in the 

 case of large plants is usually heated by steam. After they are 

 thoroughly dried, the skins are taken out and are practically as they 

 were in the beginning; that is the pelts are hard and dry, but 

 free from superfluous meat and skin. It is now necessary to 

 soften the skins again, which is done in some cases by a bath of 

 salt water in order to open the pores. After this is done they are 

 rubbed with oil or tallow and this work is usually done by hand oper- 

 ation. They are then thoroughly stretched in order that the grease 

 will soak thoroughly into the pores. The skins are then put into a 

 kicking machine or leathering machine, where they are knocked about 

 until they are thoroughly soft. The kicking machine generates a 

 certain amount of heat which softens the pelt and forms it into leather. 

 The skins are then put into a sawdust drum to be again cleaned of 

 the grease. They are then taken out and put into a caging machine 

 to clean off the sawdust. After this each skin is individually cleaned 

 by hand process of combing it out and whipping it with a small 

 rattan. After they are combed and whipped they are stretched and 

 turned fur side out and are ready for delivery to the manufacturer. 



Home Dressing of Furs 



Never dress furs intended for shipment to market. 

 A simple formula for the home dressing of small skins: 

 Prepare a tanning liquor composed of a quart of salt and one 

 half ounce of sulphuric acid to each gallon of water (this mixture 

 must not be kept in a metal container). Allow the skins to stand 

 in this liquor for about twenty four hours. When you take them 

 out wash them thoroughly, in soapy water, and wring them as 

 dry as possible. Rub the flesh side with a cake of hard soap. Then 

 hang the pelt up and allow it to partly dry, but not near a stove. 

 Let it dry out in as natural a manner as possible. While it is still 

 damp and moist, flesh it, which is done by laying the skin on a keg, 

 or any round board, placing the nose of the skin over the edge of the 



